Finally, a healthy pizza? Pie provides 30% of daily nutrient intake

Scottish scientists have created a pizza fortified with seaweed and red peppers which they claim provides a third of an adult’s daily recommended amount of vitamins and nutrients.

News of a pizza that’s healthy and nutritious has gone viral, particularly among British sites that are buzzing with excitement at the prospect.

Developed by University of Glasgow scientist Mike Lean and entrepreneur Donnie Maclean, the pizza from Eat Balanced is touted as a complete meal, fortified with extra magnesium, potassium, folate, and vitamin A. To slash sodium levels and provide more minerals, Lean added locally grown seaweed to the dough, which also provides vitamin B12 and iodine.

Fortifying foods with seaweed has become an emerging trend out of trade shows in recent months, with seaweed bread making headlines out of France.

For an extra boost of vitamin C, red peppers are also mixed into the sauce.

Scientists are positioning the pizza as a complete meal that meets 30 percent of an adult’s daily recommended vitamin and nutrient intake. Recipes were developed using nutritional guidelines from the UK Food Standards Agency. The product was also given the Best New Idea award at a recent food trade show this year.

Available at a grocery store near you?

While not yet commercially available, Lean and Maclean indicated they are currently in talks with a major British supermarket retailer for distribution.

The pizzas come in flavors like cheese and cherry tomato, pineapple and ham and spicy chicken with red peppers and jalapenos.

Meanwhile, it’s not the first time scientists have tried to come up with a way to infuse nutrients into traditionally sinful comfort foods. Three WhoNu? cookies are said to contain as much fiber as a bowl of oatmeal, the same amount of vitamin C as a cup of blueberries and as much iron as a cup of spinach.

And scientists have been adding fiber, antioxidants and probiotic bacteria to summer’s favorite dessert, ice cream.

Scientists at Eat Balanced are also working on creating nutritionally balanced curries and eyeing healthy fish and chips.